All Things Radio Podcast 306 for July 9, 2015

In this special edition broadcast live on July 9 at 5:30 PM Eastern on LegendOldies.com Michael Lauf covers radio industry news, Jeff Bennett provides valuable radio insights, we take live calls with no safety switch, Jenny serves up multiple call letter and format changes, we play a classic commercial from the 60s, tell you how you can win tickets to see the Beatles and Bill and Jenny demo The great sounding accessible Grace Internet Radio for only $199

Radio News

In just one year, there has been a 41% growth in the number of licensed Low Power FMs. The FCC reported 814 LPFMs as of June 2014, Now there are 1,149. That’s 335 more in a one-year span, and 120 of those were licensed just in the last three months. The community-radio folks expect that LPFMs will eventually number more than 2,000, thanks to a generous filing window, relaxing second-adjacent channel protections and making other technical changes. Congress wanted more community radio stations and the FCC obliged. The NAB cooperated in the rule-setting process. There has been an explosion in FM translators. The demand from AM operators alone is intense, say dealmakers and consulting engineers. Then there’s the push by FM owners who want to place new formats in their markets fed by HD Radio multicast. A year ago, there were 6,141 translators, and now the figure is 6,366. That’s 225 more translators in just one a year.

Denver-market “Smokin’ 94.1,” the new pot station was hacked and knocked off the air Monday night.
. Station owner Marc Paskin (a.k.a. DJ “Gary Ganja”), says “they came in and hacked our computer…they took out all our music, imaging promos and comedy segments.” Note that this isn’t the former “K-High 1580” in Colorado Springs, operated by Mike Knar and now shifted totally online. The Denver-market station is the Golden, Colorado combo of KBUD/1550 and a translator at 94.1. Paskin signed “Smokin’” on in June.
KCNC-TV news says “the hacking incident follows a complaint filed with the FCC from a competing radio station about radio tower signal strength.” If it’s about the translator, the rules are that it needs to sign off until the complaint is resolved. Paskin says he hasn’t heard from the FCC about the pot programming. Of course the Commission doesn’t tread into questions of content, unless it deems it legally indecent or obscene.

iHeartMedia is now streaming on AT&T’s U-verse TV service Channels 532-1532,
with the ability to search stations by genre, listen to iHeart terrestrial stations and access recommendations under the banner of “For You.” What you don’t get, compared to the iHeart app, are customized channels, the ability to vote up or down on a song, or detailed information about the station. One bonus – on U-verse, iHeart is super-fast.

Rumors of a CBS-Entercom swap increase after longtime San Diego market manager Bob Bolinger “has resigned.
Entercom and CBS could greatly increase their presence in San Diego, Atlanta, Miami and Denver. Entercom and Lincoln still need DOJ say-so on the deal.

In Indianapolis Radio, With the addition of an FM translator 97.5, iHeartMedia Sports 1260 WNDE has rebranded as Fox Sports 97.5. In addition to Fox Sports, the new 97.5 will also air Rush Limbaugh who moved from Emmis News/Talk 93.1 WIBC. WNDE will retain its Sports programming the remainder of the day including its locally originating afternoon show hosted by Jake Query and Bill Schultz from 3-7pm.

The Philadelphia Flyers has renewed its broadcast partnership with Greater Media Philadelphia. The Flyers will air on flagship station 97.5 The Fanatic WPEN and on rock station WMMR-FM 93.3 when trumped by the more popular and profitable Eagles and 76ers. Veteran play-by-play broadcaster Tim Saunders and color commentator Steve Coates will return for the 2015-16 season.

Also in Philadelphia Radio, TONY BRUNO has exited afternoons at CBS RADIO Sports WIP. He is retiring from broadcast radio after 45 years which included successes at ESPN and FOX Sports. He will continue his podcast but is leaving his show with JOSH INNES which became number one in Philli in just a few weeks. Tony decided he has had enough of broadcast radio, and that it is no longer fun, due in part to social media that creates needless drama, all in the name of increasing ratings. On his website, Bruno wrote: "After 45 years it’s just time to move on and do something other than radio. The format and industry in general no longer provide me joy and satisfaction, even after reaching #1… Giving people an option to the normal offerings can and does make a difference. Becoming #1 in a matter of weeks is a testament to the need for new voices and ideas. "